Leyton Orient ‘locked up’ in hotel after losing at Hartlepool United: It’s ‘crackers’ says manager

Jake Gray celebrates his second goal in the 3-1 win

The Daily Mail reported today that the club’s owner Francesco Becchetti instructed manager Ian Hendon to take his squad straight from Pools to the £100-a-night Marriott Hotel in Waltham Abbey.

The players were allowed home to visit their family and pick up some essentials but, otherwise, have spent the week together in the hotel on London’s border with Essex.

It was reported in the Mail that the club’s 16 players and six staff members, including Hendon and his assistant Andy Hessenthaler, have been there since Sunday evening.

Italian businessman Bechetti was unhappy, not just with the defeat at Victoria Park, but a run of only one win in the last 12 League matches, though they did in 6-1 the previous weekend in the FA Cup.

The 49-year-old bought the O’s in July 2014 after the club had been owned previously by sports promoter Barry Hearn.

Becchetti has had four different managers in that time with ex-West Ham coach Hendon his most recent appointment.

Pools boss Ronnie Moore quipped today that he’s enjoyed a good week since the win in front of the Sky Sports cameras thanks to goal by Jake Gray (2) and Kudus Oyenuga.

But he had sympathy for the side they beat.

“It’s been nice for us,” said Moore. “Obviously not so nice for Leyton Orient, who have been locked up in a hotel, it sounds crackers.”

Leyton Orient face out-of-sorts York City on Saturday at Brisbane Road.

Hendon said: “If we win four or five-nil the owner might ask us to move here permanently.

“We’re not trying to hide anything. We’re staying at a hotel.

“There are plenty of army camps I know about in deepest darkest woods if we wanted to do that.”